Admission requirements
It is recommended that the students have have taken the Essentials of Computer Systems I and II, or Fundamentals of Digital Systems Design and Computer Architecture Bachelor Level courses at Leiden University or similar courses at other universities.
Description
We will take the 'bottom-up' approach, starting with basic building blocks of digital systems. Here, we will see how circuits are built and how we can make our own accelerators for special tasks using a Hardware Description Language (HDL). We will introduce hardware optimization techniques and focus on design-space exploration (DSE). We will talk about trade-offs, for example cost-performance trade-off, and how to identify the most suitable optimizations for a hardware implementation of a chosen algorithm. Course topics:
- Datapath design and optimizations (using a HDL)
- Special topics with invited lecturers (e.g., cryptographic co-processors, ML tasks, image processing)
Course objectives
Design a datapath for a specific application
Implement a datapath using HDL
Perform DSE and identify most suitable design trade-offs
Schedule
The most recent timetable can be found at the Computer Science (MSc) student website.
In MyTimetable; you can find all course and programme schedules; allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.
Additionally; you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone; and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.
Questions? Watch the video; read the instructions; or contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.
Teaching method
The lectures will provide a comprehensive overview of the main areas and the learning objectives of the course. The special topics will be introduced by various guest lecturers. The students will select one of the topics introduced during the special lectures for their group project. We will organize two in-class practical sessions to help students with their gruop projects.
Assesment method
The final grade is composed from the following two components:
- Individual Final Exam (50%)
- Group Project (50%)
The course is passed if (i.) the individual exam is passed; and (ii.) if the final grade is 5.5 or higher (sum of both components is 55% or higher).
Additionally, bonus quizzes on Brightspace could add 5% to the final grade.
Additional Information: Projects topics are defined by students jointly with lecturers. Project assessment will consist of (i.) design, implementation, and DSE; (ii.) in-class presentation with demo; and (iii.) a two-page double-column final report.
Please note that all project submissions will be checked for plagiarism.
Resit, review & feedback
Individual Final Exam (50%) - if the exam is not passed, the resit for the exam will be offered.
A viewing of the final exam will be possible before the resit.
Group project (50%) - there will be one resit opportunity for the following two parts of the group project:
(i.) design, implementation, and DSE and (iii.) a two-page double-column final report.
For the group project resit, the students will be able to use feedback on all three parts.
Reading list
There is no textbook. Recommended readings (research papers, etc.) will be announced on Brightspace.
Registration
As a student; you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.
In this short video; you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.
There are two enrolment periods per year:
Enrolment for the fall opens in July
Enrolment for the spring opens in December
See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.
Note:
It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.
Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.
Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.
Contact
Contact the lecturer via email.